Gunman The suburban Chicago man who admitted to killing seven people and injuring dozens more during a 2022 Independence Day parade was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Gunman Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti imposed seven consecutive life sentences, as prosecutors had requested, after hearing powerful testimony from survivors and family members of the victims. Each sentence was for a first-degree murder conviction related to the mass shooting.
Gunman Robert E. Crimo III, 24, changed his plea to guilty last month, just moments before opening statements were set to begin at his long-delayed trial.
Gunman Dozens were injured in the shooting at a suburban Chicago parade, located about 30 miles north of the city.
Despite repeated warnings from the judge that the sentencing would proceed in his absence, Robert E. Crimo III chose not to attend his hearing on Wednesday or Thursday.
During the proceedings, survivors and witnesses shared the lasting impact of the attack, recounting how their lives have been forever altered.
“You will not hear my grief,” she said. “You are now irrelevant.”
It is uncommon for defendants to skip their sentencing, especially in violent cases, but they have the constitutional right to do so, noted David Erickson, a former state appellate judge and professor at Chicago Kent College of Law. In many violent cases, defendants might express remorse or explain themselves before sentencing, he added.
Many spoke of the emptiness and deep sadness they still feel, with some no longer able to attend public events. She underwent weeks of medical treatment to remove shrapnel, while her husband had a bullet lodged in his elbow for several weeks.
Prosecutors emphasized that Crimo had full control of his actions when he fired 83 shots in 40 seconds.
Even though Crimo was absent, prosecutors ensured his own words were heard in court. They presented parts of the evidence gathered for trial, including excerpts from Crimo’s videotaped confession.
Throughout the interview, Crimo remained detached and even laughed, according to Brian Bodden, a Highland Park police officer.
Prosecutors also showed footage of the parade, where a marching band had been playing “You’re a Grand Old Flag” before shots rang out. The musicians and other paradegoers fled in panic as sirens blared, a chaotic scene that was replayed for the court. Many in the courtroom were moved to tears, with some comforting each other.
The seven victims of the attack were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin and Irina McCarthy, aged 37 and 35, respectively.
Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., a former mayoral candidate, was charged over his role in how his son obtained a gun license.